Gas turbine engine sensor system with static pressure sensors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11939876-B2
Application number	US-202217876854-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 29, 2022
Priority date	Jul 29, 2022
Publication date	Mar 26, 2024
Grant date	Mar 26, 2024

Abstract

A system is provided for an aircraft. This aircraft system includes a gas turbine engine and a sensor system. The gas turbine engine includes an inlet and a compressor section. A flowpath projects radially inward into the gas turbine engine from the inlet and extends through the compressor section. The sensor system includes a plurality of static pressure sensors at least partially within the flowpath. The sensor system is configured to determine a total pressure characteristic within the flowpath using the plurality of static pressure sensors.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for an aircraft, comprising:
a gas turbine engine including an inlet and a compressor section, a flowpath projecting radially inward into the gas turbine engine from the inlet and extending through the compressor section; and
a sensor system comprising a plurality of static pressure sensors at least partially within the flowpath, the sensor system configured to determine a total pressure characteristic within the flowpath using the plurality of static pressure sensors;
wherein the sensor system is further configured to
determine a static pressure characteristic at a first location within the flowpath using the plurality of static pressure sensors; and
process the static pressure characteristic to determine the total pressure characteristic at a second location within the flowpath that is downstream of the first location.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the total pressure characteristic is indicative of a total pressure distortion across the flowpath.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the total pressure characteristic is determined for a location at an upstream end of the compressor section.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the total pressure characteristic is determined for a location at a face of a compressor rotor within the compressor section.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein
the static pressure characteristic is indicative of a static pressure distortion across the flowpath at the first location; and
the total pressure characteristic is indicative of a total pressure distortion across the flowpath at the second location.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor system is configured to process the static pressure characteristic using a correlation factor to determine the total pressure characteristic.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein
the first location is at the inlet; and
the second location is at the compressor section.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of static pressure sensors are located along a screen across the flowpath.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein a first of the plurality of static pressure sensors comprises a pressure port with an inlet opening that faces radially inwards and away from incoming flow.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein
the sensor system comprises a sensor mount with a downstream bluff end; and
one or more of the plurality of static pressure sensors are attached to the sensor mount at the downstream bluff end.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein
the sensor mount extends laterally between a first side and a second side;
the first side meets the downstream bluff end at a first corner; and
the second side meets the downstream bluff end at a second corner.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the downstream bluff end is configured with a straight sectional geometry.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein each of the one or more of the plurality of static pressure sensors is recessed into the sensor mount from the downstream bluff end.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of static pressure sensors are arranged in a symmetric pattern within the flowpath.

15. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of static pressure sensors are arranged in an asymmetric pattern within the flowpath.

16. A system for an aircraft, comprising:
a gas turbine engine including an inlet and a compressor section, a flowpath projecting into the gas turbine engine from the inlet and extending through the compressor section;
a screen extending across the flowpath at the inlet; and
a sensor system comprising a plurality of static pressure sensors arranged with and upstream of the screen, the sensor system configured to
determine a static pressure characteristic at a first location within the flowpath using the plurality of static pressure sensors; and
process the static pressure characteristic to determine the total pressure characteristic at a second location within the flowpath that is downstream of the first location.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the gas turbine engine comprises one of a turboshaft gas turbine engine or a turboprop gas turbine engine.

18. A method for monitoring a gas turbine engine, comprising:
providing a plurality of static pressure sensors at least partially within a flowpath, the flowpath projecting radially inward into the gas turbine engine from an inlet to the gas turbine engine, and the flowpath extending through a compressor section of the gas turbine engine;
determining a static pressure characteristic at a first location within the flowpath using the plurality of static pressure sensors; and
processing the static pressure characteristic to determine a total pressure characteristic within the flowpath at a second location within the flowpath that is downstream of the first location.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the plurality of pressure sensors are arranged with a screen extending across the flowpath at the inlet.

Assignees

• Pratt & Whitney Canada

Inventors

• Le Pape Damien
• Cunningham Mark

Classifications

• F01D21/003 Primary

  Arrangements for testing or measuring (for measuring vibrations G01H) · CPC title

• F05D2220/323

  for aircraft propulsion, e.g. jet engines · CPC title

• F05D2260/30

  Retaining components in desired mutual position · CPC title

• F05D2270/3011

  Inlet pressure · CPC title

• F02C7/057 Primary

  Control or regulation (conjointly with fuel supply control F02C9/50, with nozzle area control F02K1/16) · CPC title